


If On A Winter's Night

by Ravanne



Category: Glee
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-09-01 13:42:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8626699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravanne/pseuds/Ravanne
Summary: Winter Showcase - where NYADA shows off the best of the best. And Adam sees, and hears, Kurt for the first time.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This story can fit in with the Season Four remix as a prelude, but it is canon-compliant and can be read as a stand-alone. This is something that's been sitting on my hard drive for awhile and I wanted to expand on it a bit. It's not beta-read so any mistakes are mine.

There was something definitely bittersweet about watching the Winter Showcase that year. Not that Adam ever believed that he would have stood a reasonable chance at getting a showcase spot despite being one of the top dramatic actors in the school and a more than passable singer. Not with Madam Tibideaux as dean now. While he had to respect her as both an artist and instructor, it was hardly a secret that she had a tendency to select “pets” that she lavished attention and praise on while openly dismissing performers that didn’t fit into her narrow view of what an “artistic” performer should be. Adam and his chorus group, while talented, didn’t fit into her world view so they got no real faculty support and were generally mocked by the more “acceptable” students.

Most of the other Apples couldn’t be convinced to attend, understandably frustrated by the rigid school caste system that this kind of showcase just reinforced. It wasn’t that they normally cared much if the other students looked down on them, but Adam could understand the hurt feelings that would come with this reminder that the world was unfair and that there were times when they would be shut out regardless of their abilities.

In the end, Mei and Jill were the only ones he had been able to convince to join him and only with the promise of after-show drinks at their favorite bar. He suspected that the pair of them came primarily to mock the chosen performers, but he still glad that he wasn’t going alone. He always enjoyed seeing talented people and now that he was graduating, he needed to start networking a bit and making connections. He might not be performing that night, but there were plenty of opportunities to meet with the agents and producers in attendance.

It probably shouldn’t have surprised him that the overwhelming majority of performers listed to perform that night were from the voice program, he considered as he perused the program. With the exception of two dance majors, the rest were singers. No dramatics students made the cut and he had the feeling that Dean Chacon would be expressing his displeasure at having his students ignored. But this was Madam Tibideaux’s show and there likely wasn’t very much he could do without retaliating in some ungracious fashion that might reflect badly on his program.

For the most part, he enjoyed the show. Adam had always been glad that he could appreciate the talents of others and admittedly, most of the performers were indeed excellent and the kind that NYADA should be promoting. He just wished that the faculty could have spread the wealth a bit and let some of the other programs showcase their best as well.

He noticed Brody Weston, and noted with amusement that he was all over the freshman who was obviously Madam Tibideaux’s newest pet. Brody was nothing if not an opportunist who latched onto the best and brightest to further his own advancement. If they were male, he offered friendship and the girls were offered romance with the handsome upper classman. And then they were dropped as soon as the next best and brightest came on the scene. He wondered if this Rachel girl was aware of her suitor’s history of selecting talented freshman to pursue.

Watching her sing, Adam had to admit that she was good. A bit one note for his taste, and leaning towards the overwrought and melodramatic in her performance style. He admired her vocal technique, but he just couldn’t feel anything genuinely emotional from her performance. The emotions felt feigned to him, the girl using vocal tricks and facial expressions to give the impression of emotion that wasn’t really apparent in her voice.

He couldn’t help from feeling a bit annoyed when she alone was granted an encore, as there were other performers who were at least as good that night and should also have gotten recognition for their talents. The ballet dancer who performed first, for example, was absolutely dazzling. The writing was on the wall that this Rachel girl would be named the winner and be elevated to the highest echelons of NYADA. Another empty singing doll for Brody to keep his hooks in until he found something newer and better to play with.

After the singing doll was finished and lavished with praise from Madam Tibideaux, the Dean turned back to the audience. “And now we're going to have a brief intermission, and when we come back, if he thinks he's ready, we'll have a performance from Mr. Hummel.”

Adam’s brow furrowed slightly, not recognizing the name. The student body at NYADA was small enough that everyone pretty much knew everyone else at school, if only by reputation. He was sure that he would have at least heard that name at some point, especially if it was someone considered worthy to perform at the Showcase.

Apparently he wasn’t the only one confused, as the other students in the audience around him began to whisper amongst themselves, with “Who’s that?” being the most frequently asked question and not have any real answers. Adam checked the program again to see if this Kurt was listed and was very surprised that he wasn’t. Curiouser and curiouser…

There was a bit of a commotion at the front of the room as a slim young man darted out of the theater with Madam Tibideaux’s pet hot on his heels.

Mei looked up from her programs. “What’s going on?” she asked softly. “What’s Madam Tibideaux up to?”

“No idea, love,” he whispered back. “Whoever that is, he certainly ran out of here like his arse was on fire.”

He wondered what Madam Tibideaux had in mind, because it was pretty clear that the young man hadn’t expected to be called upon to perform. Clearly there was more going on here than was immediately apparent. He was quite sure that this young man wasn’t a student and if he was right, this might well be the first time that someone who wasn’t a student was invited to perform at the Winter Showcase. That surprised him, as it was hardly a secret that Madam Tibideux viewed the Showcase as a reflection not only on her school, but herself. Adam couldn’t imagine what would cause her to give someone who wasn’t a student this kind of opportunity.

A few minutes later, the young man returned to the theater, having apparently regrouped his wits. He stepped to the stage where he was greeted by a round of polite applause and paused to say something to the conductor before facing the audience. Adam was immediately struck by two thoughts. First, this young thing was absolutely stunning. The second was that he looked completely terrified.

“Hi,” he greeted audience nervously. Adam inhaled sharply at the gorgeous tone of his voice, the boy’s natural speaking voice a higher and lighter pitch than average and he felt the prickle of goose bumps across his skin. “I’m Kurt Hummel and…”

The boy paused and swallowed deeply to keep his composure. “I’ll be auditioning for the role of NYADA student.”

Suddenly everything became very clear, Adam thought. Madam Tibideaux had issued a challenge and if this young man wanted to have a chance of being admitted, he had no choice but to accept. He had to be good, or there was no way in hell that the dean would have suggested this and risk a poor showing at her Showcase. But seeing the young man standing in the spotlight, maintain an air of calm when inside he had to be screaming, Adam felt tremendous sympathy for him. He was clearly taken by surprise and not prepared.

Adam glanced at the Dean and saw her impassive stare as she waited for the young man to begin. He wasn’t sure if she was waiting for this Kurt to succeed or fail at this point, and he was surprised at how angry he felt on behalf of that young man towards her. Whatever he must have done to have offended Madam Tibideaux to be put on the spot like this, it was highly unfair of her to throw him to the wolves the way she was.

The music began and Adam desperately hoped that this handsome young fellow had what Madam Tibideaux was looking for.

_“Someone to hold you too close. Someone to hurt you too deep.”_

Adam felt his breath catch in his throat. He had not been expecting this lush, deep tone to emerge, a resonance that his speaking voice didn’t hint at.

_“Someone to sit in your chair. To ruin your sleep.”_

That voice was like warm toffee, all smooth and rich. And rather than demanding that Adam judge his technique, that voice invited him to be drawn in.

_“Someone to need you too much. Someone to know you too well.”_

There was so much pure emotion and soul and Adam found it impossible to take his eyes off the young man. He couldn’t have been the only one since the room had fallen completely silent except for the music and the amazing voice pouring out of the young man standing at the front of the room.

As the performance reached its crescendo, that stunning voice absolutely filled the theater and grabbed hold of the audience. Adam watched, enthralled, and saw the instant when the singer just totally lost himself into the music. Where his fear and the presence of the audience faded away and the song just poured out of him.

_“But alone is alone… not alive!”_

Adam felt his body shudder in sympathy. There was too much pain in that voice to be just artifice. It went soul deep and the song felt less like a performance than the lancing of an old wound. Adam felt a pain in his hand and looked down, surprised to see that Jill had grasped it and was holding it tight as she stared at the singer with awe. There were tears in Mei’s eyes and he was a bit relieved that he wasn’t the only one struck so profoundly.

When the young man built up to the song’s conclusion, Adam felt himself lean forward in his seat, wanting to take in every instant of that glorious performance. How the young man seemed to be begging for something that went beyond playing a character. This was his soul being torn upon on that stage and Adam wondered if the audience was really aware of just what they were seeing.

_“Being alive!”_

Adam was one of the first on his feet for an exceedingly well deserved standing ovation. The audience applauded and cheered the remarkable performance and the young man just stood there, looking rather stunned and bewildered at their response. Adam thought that he detected a tear on the young man’s face as he looked about the crowd, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

“Adam,” Mei said, nudging him to get his attention. “Look at Madam Tibideaux.”

Adam forced himself to tear his eyes away from the young man and looked to the dean, surprised to see her on her feet giving the young man that she had challenged his due. There was a quiet smile of satisfaction on her face, as if she had gotten the answer that she was looking for. It appeared that they would have a new classmate for the spring semester, if he was judging the situation correctly.

Brody’s girl rushed up to hug her friend and Adam didn’t miss the proprietary gleam in Brody’s eyes as he watched the two of them. He seemed very confident that this would be another new star that he could use to advance his ambitions and Adam felt a wave of protectiveness rush over him. He did not want to see that beautiful, talented boy become just another notch on Brody’s belt.

He had to figure out some way to approach this young man. Not now, with all of the faculty and other students about. But once Kurt was at NYADA…

“You’re planning something,” Jill said, giving him an appraising glance. “I can tell.”

“That I am,” he said agreeably. Denying it wouldn’t do any good. They would have it all figured out once he brought Kurt into their protective fold.

He had to be patient and bide his time. But one thing was certain… his life would not be complete unless he could hear that beautiful voice every day.

In the meantime, he had plans to make. Because there was no way he would let anyone else snatch Kurt up away from him. Especially not a leach like Brody.

“Come on, my dears,” he urged, offering his arms to his companions for the evening. “I believe that I do owe you a few drinks.”


End file.
